the project

It's like a library, but instead of books you can check out tools!

The Asheville Tool Library will provide tools at low or no cost to citizens and local community organizations in addition to low or no cost educational classes enabling members to become deeper engaged in home maintenance and repair, bike and automotive repair, garden projects, community work days, hands on educational classes, art projects, creative experimentation, business incubation, projects just for fun, as well as countless other things.

About co-founders Nick, Julian and Tom:

Nick Letts worked as a site manager for an urban demonstration project that housed a tool library for 18 months culminating in 2007. Starting a tool library in Asheville has been a project on the back of his mind since that time but it never got much further than a casual conversation. In the fall of 2012 Nick started a permaculture apprenticeship with Zev Friedman and Dylan Rylas-Hamilton and was blessed with co-apprentice, great friend, and co-founder of the ATL Julian Dominic who quickly partnered on a community donation garden that Julian was just breaking ground on called Charlotte Got Crops. Over the next few weeks they recognized their own need for tools as well as hearing similar stories from many people involved in community projects. It became clear they had identified a need in the community and had a solution that benefits everyone of every race, economic status, age, sexual orientation etc. in our community. Ultimately the biggest tool we will ever have is the ability to build community and the ATL is one tool in that toolbox. Enter Tom Llewellyn. With an extensive history of organizing on local and national levels with REAL Cooperative and Sustainable Living Roadshow Tom brings great energy and desire for change along with an experienced point of view that leaves our team confident and ready to guide this project into the future as a leader for a new western NC.

the steps

Start the Project

Build community support

Find a Location

Begin to Network in the Community

Get chosen as a finalist in the Get2Gether Neighborhood Challenge

Become a Fiscally Sponsored Non Profit

Setup website (Anyone want to help?)

Launch a fundraising campaign (thanks ioby)

Tool Forum- Find out what our community is looking for in a tool library

Rent Shipping Container (to store tool donations)

Tool Drive- Collect 500 donated tools

Volunteers! (We’re gonna need you)

Open for lending

Build and serve a diverse membership

Move into a permanent location

why we're doing it

We will be providing low cost access to a wide range of tools, literature, and knowledge to citizens of western NC. The community-driven project aims to empower individuals and the community at large through affordable access to resources that encourage rehabilitation, creativity, entrepreneurship, livability, and community development in Western NC.

The Asheville Tool Library will directly address the issue of socio-economic inequality that exists in Western NC by providing low/no cost access to tools, education, and other resources to all members of our community.

nearby projects

Funded!

This project has been fully funded and is no longer collecting donations.

Volunteers Needed!

This project's leader is looking for volunteers to help out:

Thanks y'all! Contact us: librarian@ashevilletoollibrary.org. We'd like any all willing and able bodies of asheville - if ya can paint a wall, walk on stilts, make tea, fix tools, use tools, make pretty graphics or love (absolutely love) flyer, then hit us up!